Ten possible vice-presidential candidates for the GOP ticket

Presidential front-runner Mitt Romney doesn't yet have a lock on the Republican nomination, and even if he did, he'd be unlikely to announce a vice-presidential running mate until, oh, about August.

Does that mean it’s too soon to start speculating about the choices? Don’t be silly.

Political writers and pundits have been salivating to begin one of the favored handicapping contests of any presidential year, and Mitt’s rise to the level of presumptive nominee seems to have given them the go-ahead. Here are 10 of the most likely possibilities.

1.
Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio, a tea party favorite and a first-term US senator from Florida, seems to have everything going for him when it comes to what Mr. Romney might want in his running mate.

He’s a Hispanic senator from a key swing state who is popular with many of the more conservative Republicans who question Romney’s credentials. He potentially helps Romney with Latinos (a group with whom Romney struggles), Southern voters, Florida voters, and tea party voters.

True, he’s relatively inexperienced, and he’s insisted he doesn’t want to be VP – but he’s taking a lot of steps that seem to be positioning him for that role.

Yes, it’s early in the game, but Senator Rubio is the clear favorite so far.